


"It's been a while"

by yikesola



Series: tumblr ficlet prompts [77]
Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: 2019, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Established Relationship, F/F, sam the surfer - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-27
Updated: 2020-02-27
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:33:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22927243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yikesola/pseuds/yikesola
Summary: Dani sees the blonde undercut before Phoebe does. She almost wants to turn and run away. To dive into a bathroom until she’s sure they’re in the clear.A ficlet about familiar faces and perception.
Relationships: Dan Howell/Phil Lester
Series: tumblr ficlet prompts [77]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1410112
Comments: 12
Kudos: 31





	"It's been a while"

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: "It's been a while"

Dani sees the blonde undercut before Phoebe does. At baggage claim, in her usual board shorts even though they’re in a fucking airport and not at the beach. A wide white smile that could sell toothpaste. A perfect calmness as she stands waiting by the carousel which Dani could never hope to replicate. 

She almost wants to turn and run away. To dive into a bathroom until she’s sure they’re in the clear. But there’s no guarantee that Phoebe would follow her. It’s more likely, in fact, that she’d wait alone for the bags and bump into her bloody soulmate and leave Dani behind while they go off on some sort of saving the world adventure. 

So Dani doesn’t run. And she acts pleasantly surprised when Phoebe calls out, “Sam! Four times now, are you kidding?” 

“Phoebe, hey,” Sam smiles even wider. “It’s been a while. And Dani, how you two been?” 

The thing is that now they’re talking, Dani can’t hate her. She’s charming in a genuine way. It doesn’t mean she doesn’t completely zone out while Phoebe catches Sam up on the Japan trip they’re just heading home from and Sam tells about wherever the hell she’s been. Dani can’t help it… Sam really is every butch sufer babe ideal of Phoebe’s dreams and what’s worse is it doesn’t even seem like a performance for her. 

It would be if Dani tried it. Every time she dips her toes into gender nonconformity it feels performative. Hairy legs and no makeup on the plane. Jumpers bought from the men’s section. A snapback she never had the nerve to actually wear out of the house. 

Hell, a decade into her YouTube journey and she’s still never filmed a video without minimum concealer, mascara, lipstick. 

But Sam just exists and it seems to be an absolute breeze for her. To stand with a slight slouch in her knees, to wear men’s socks and sandals, to have a bare and achingly beautiful face. Not beautiful in terms of the male gaze. But so fucking beautiful Dani can’t bear to look away. 

Dani is brought out of the fog of her own brain when she realises there’s a hand on her shoulder. “By the way,” Sam says with a softened, knowing smile. “I saw the coming out vid. Amazing… seriously. I cried like forty times.” 

It’s hard to picture Sam crying. She seems so cool and tough and chill. 

“Thanks,” Dani says. It’s still strange to have people _know_. 

“You saying you didn’t cry at mine?” Phoebe teases. 

“Only like ten times,” Sam laughs. “In my defence, it was much shorter!” 

They chat a while longer. They grab their bags and go through customs. Phoebe doesn’t leave with Sam on some destiny-driven adventure. She gets in the taxi with Dani, on their way home. 

“Until next time!” Sam waves, waiting on the curb for her own ride.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading— come say hi on [tumblr](http://yikesola.tumblr.com/post/611139856562782208/its-been-a-while) !


End file.
